The American

Chapter Eleven

Maybe this isn't the summer of sadness after all. Maybe it is the summer of the dance. Slowly, swiftly, gracefully, late at night, when the rest of the world is asleep and again in the morning, before they have a chance to awaken. Maybe this is the summer of the breeze, slightly tainted with the fumes escaping Teo's cigarette and yet so crisp with possibility, until dawn arrives at last, drawing us towards the ocean. Maybe this is a summer unlike the others, the one I measure all of my other summers against. 

The sun peeking in the tangerine horizon, signaling the onrush of dawn, Teo and I are in the water, balancing the waves softly lapping against our bodies. My back is to the tides as I observe the endless violet of the sky above me. And Teo is beside me, his body pressed to the vista as if he is a part of the universe, much like the sea.

"Teo?" I ask him.

He floats his way to my side. "Yeah?"

"Do you do this often?"

"This?"

"Catch the sunrise like this, by the water."

He chuckles, pausing for a moment to consider his words. "I think you know the answer to that, Margarita."

"Do I?"

"What do you think?"

"That you do things like this all the time."

He turns his head to the side, meeting my gaze. "You really think so?"

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Is it not true?"

"It's been a while, since I've come out here," he says quietly. "I used to do it all the time, back in Màlaga. But life tends to get so hectic these days, you know? I feel like I got lost in the rat race of it all. And then you came along, Margarita. You make me want to do everything with you. You make me reconsider if I was truly happy back then. You make me want to be free."

"Free together?" I say.

He smiles. "Free together."

He wades closer towards me until our bodies are engaged in a gentle caress. I close my eyes until our skins disappear and I am immersed in my cerebral nothingness—but the nothingness, it is no longer harrowing. It is filled with excitement for where my imagination will take me next. Physically, we are just brushing arms. But in my head, we are already in the sky. No longer tethered to this earth, I learn from him that even the wildest of dreams draw from reality.

☯

Author's Note: Hi guys, I know this is hardly a chapter, but I've been out and about and had hardly any time to write. I am also currently running on two hours of sleep because I was up late last night just bonding with strangers on Zoom and then met a close friend to catch sunrise with him at the beach at 5AM. Which reminds me! If you are in university, you should definitely check out the website schefs.us. It's a bunch of college students Zooming about the most interesting things (you can see the topics on the site). Last night, we were up until 1AM talking about...life, death, everything? Haha. Definitely recommend. 

Also, anything interesting or chaotic going on with you guys lately? Let me know! I love hearing about your lives/days/happy times/etc.